If your car’s registration has expired in Fort Worth, you can still donate it to Drive Change without renewing or paying back fees. For real. What matters for donation is a valid Texas title in your name—not current inspection, not current tags, and not whether the car runs. We arrange free towing anywhere in the DFW Metroplex, and you still receive a donation receipt you can use for your federal tax deduction.
Here’s how it works in Texas: when you donate, you sign your Texas title over to Drive Change. Once the tow truck picks up your vehicle from your driveway in Benbrook, your apartment lot in Arlington, a shop in Haltom City, or a garage in Near Southside, responsibility for the vehicle shifts to the charity. You are not required to renew registration beforehand. After pickup, you should file a Vehicle Transfer Notification with TxDMV to show you no longer own the car. Your donated vehicle then helps support Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) that provides services for people who are blind or visually impaired.
How to get your free pickup scheduled
Check that you have a valid Texas title in your name
Expired registration is fine; missing title is the real issue. Find your Texas title and make sure your name matches your driver’s license. If you’re in Fort Worth, Arlington, North Richland Hills, or nearby, a quick photo of the title helps our team confirm everything before pickup and avoid any delays with the tow truck or your donation receipt.
Call or fill out the online form to start your donation
Tell us your registration is expired and where the car is located in the DFW Metroplex—driveway in Wedgwood, curb in Fairmount, or a repair shop off I-35W. We’ll collect a few details about the vehicle and schedule your free tow. You do NOT need to visit the tax office or the DMV before donating.
Schedule your free tow anywhere in greater Fort Worth
We arrange a licensed tow company to pick up your vehicle at no cost to you. The car doesn’t need to run or be legal to drive. We routinely tow from apartments in Hulen, townhomes in Keller, and workplaces near Downtown. The driver will guide you through signing the title correctly for transfer to Drive Change.
Hand over the keys, signed title, and remove your plates
At pickup, you’ll sign the title over to Drive Change and give the driver the keys (if you have them). In Texas, we strongly recommend you remove your plates before the truck leaves. Once your vehicle is on the tow truck, operational and registration responsibility effectively shift to the charity, not you.
File your TxDMV transfer notice and keep your tax receipt
After pickup, submit a Vehicle Transfer Notification with TxDMV (online or at a local county tax office) so the state knows you no longer own the car. Drive Change then processes your donation and mails you a donation receipt. If your deduction may exceed $500, you’ll use IRS Form 1098-C with your federal return.
Potential complications to watch for
No title or title not in your name
Tip: Expired registration is usually okay, but we do need a valid title. If the title is lost or still in a previous owner’s or relative’s name, contact your local Tarrant County tax office to correct or replace it before scheduling pickup. Our team can explain exactly how the title should read for a smooth transfer.
Active tickets or tolls attached to the license plates
Tip: Unpaid tolls or tickets are usually tied to plates and the owner, not the car itself. Donating the vehicle will not erase past fines. Remove your plates before towing and handle outstanding tolls/tickets separately with the proper agency so you don’t get surprised later with new penalties or late notices.
Lien still listed on the Texas title
Tip: If your Texas title shows an active lienholder and it’s not stamped or signed as released, we typically can’t complete the donation yet. Contact the lender to obtain a lien release, then bring the title up to date. Doing this before scheduling your pickup prevents delays the day the tow truck arrives in Fort Worth.
Out-of-state vehicle stored in Fort Worth
Tip: If your car is sitting in Fort Worth but still titled in another state, that’s usually fine—but we must follow that state’s title rules. Have your out-of-state title ready, and tell our team which state it’s from so we can give you the correct signing instructions before we dispatch your free tow truck.